Can I Leave Air Fryer Unattended?
Air fryers are the talk of the town now in the kitchen appliance industry. The capability of the device to cook healthy food makes it an instant hit. But how safe is the device? Can it catch fire? Can I leave the air fryer unattended? Well, you will find a detailed discussion on these topics below.
The air fryers are marketed as safe kitchen appliances. But as it is an electric appliance that produces heat, it can be dangerous sometimes. However, there are almost zero chances of causing fire or other issues as long as you use the device in the right procedure. Below, we will discuss a bit more about the air fryer safety hazards and related issues.
Are Air Fryers Dangerous?
Compared to your other cooking appliances like the oven, microwave, deep fryer, etc., the air fryer is safer. It utilizes hot air to cook your food in an enclosed compartment. So, there are minimal chances of minor injuries like burning or splitting hot oil while cooking in the air fryer. However, you need to use the appliance in a righteous way to get the safe performance and best out of it.
Utilizing the device in the wrong way without taking the necessary precautions can lead to injuries. It is important to make yourself familiar with the safety hazard of the air fryer. Not only the air fryer, when you are using an electrical appliance, but you should also know about the possible risk due to misuse. The air fryer can even cause a fire if you utilize the device carefully.
But we can pretty much assure you that you can enjoy a safe performance of the air fryer as long as you utilize it in the correct way. After all, there are lower chances of accidents or injuries while using an air fryer compared to the other cooking appliances.
Some Common Misconception about the Air Fryer
You will find a lot of reports online that talk about the safety hazards while using an air fryer. Well, they are more like misconceptions. Such as, some website claims air fryers don’t maintain the EMF safety standards. EMF means Electromagnetic fields. If someone says that the air fryer devices don’t arrive with the EMF safety standards, that is untrue. Air fryers are made by following various safety standards including the EMF.
Another misconception about the air fryer is it cooks food in extreme heat which is dangerous. If you have ever used an air fryer, you should already understand how untrue it is. The air fryer allows you to cook food from 100 F to 400 F and you are fully in control of the temperature. Moreover, most of the air fryers are designed not to emit heat on the exterior.
Air fryers have vents to input fresh air and output hot air. Make sure that you are away from the hot air outlet and there is no blockage in its way.
So, Can I Leave Air Fryer Unattended?
Well, the straight-cut answer to the question is a big NO. never, leave your air fryer attended to or any other electric cooking appliance. However, that doesn’t mean you need to stick your eyes to the air fryer. After putting in the food and set the time of cooking, you may do something else until you hear the buzz. But you simply shouldn’t leave the air fryer turned on and go out of the house for doing something else. This could be dangerous.
Leaving the air fryer turned on is like leaving a lit candle a long time unattended. This can even lead to fire hazards. However, the good news is most air fryer is designed to be turned off if you don’t touch any button after the buzz. So, there are very low chances of fire hazard and you can mostly be tension-free.
Tips to Operate the Air Fryer Safely
The air fryer is easy to use and mostly safe. But that doesn’t mean you can use it as you want without following the right using procedure and precautions. Here are some tips that may help you to make the air fryer operation more secure.
Read the User Manual
While using an air fryer or any other electric appliance, it is important to read the user manual. You will find everything about the device from the safety guidelines to the standard procedure of operating, cleaning, and storing. Air fryer’s user manual even includes the recipes of the common dishes. So, instead of throwing away the user manual, keep it and must read it before using the device.
It’s true that you will find a lot of guides online on how to use the device. But they are more like universal guides for all air fryers. The design, features, and functions of air fryers can significantly vary based on the model. So, make sure to go through the entire air fryer user manual before attempting to cook in the device.
Clean the Air Fryer Regularly
Air fryers typically don’t require much cleaning. But it is important to clean the device after every use. The leftover food particles grease from the previous cook can start burning while cooking next time. So, you clean the air fryer after cooking something in it. You can simply put the basket and pan on the dishwasher if they are marked safe for machine cleaning. Make sure to wait 30 minutes after cooking to clean.
Use the Right Amount of Oil
Air fryer requires very little or no oil. But you might want to oil up the ingredient to make them tasty and crispy. Adding more oils inside the device can make the oil burn. You will often see white smoke coming out of the air fryer. That is because of the overuse of oil.
Don’t Overfill the Basket
It is recommended to cook food in a single layer although you can cook snacks like the French fries in multiple layers. While adding the food to the basket, make sure that you are not overfilling it. The ingredients must not touch the heating element of the air fryer. This can cause smoke and even fires sometimes.
Conclusion
The air fryer is mostly a safe device and it is safer compared to most of your cooking appliances. However, it is still recommended to use the air fryer device with proper caution. Also, don’t leave the air fryer unattended for a long time. We hope that this article will help you to operate the air fryer safely.